PATRIOTS NOTEBOOK: Ridley says he isn't dwelling on contract year

Fourth-year running back Stevan Ridley's contract is up after the upcoming NFL season, but he says if he goes out and is productive the situation will take care of itself.

Glen Farley The Enterprise @GFarley_ent

FOXBORO – He doesn’t consider the season a dash for cash.

“I have to be honest about it,” running back Stevan Ridley answered when asked about the contract year he’s entering into with the Patriots. “It’s there, but it’s not my first concern.

“My first concern is going out there and being the best player for this team, and I think if I go out there and have a productive year and do what I need to do, that the contract will take care of itself. So I’m not really going to put too much thought into it because I think, as you guys (in the media) know, if I start thinking about that, it could easily be a distraction.

“So I can’t really worry with that,” said Ridley. “I am going to have the good days. I’m going to have some bad days. But I’m going to just keep working and keep my head in the dirt and keep grinding it out.”

Ridley’s 4.5-yard rushing average on 555 carries over his three years in the NFL makes him the Patriots’ all-time leader in that department, but they’ve come at a price – nine career fumbles, eight in the past two seasons, six of them resulting in fumbles.

Welcome to the NFL: On the second day of practice in full pads, veteran cornerback Brandon Browner welcomed rookie running back James White to the NFL by leveling him with a hit he punctuated with a celebratory scream.

Following the rain-shortened practice, Ridley swept the fourth-round draft pick off his feet with praise.

“I say particularly, and not to single out one guy, but James has come in and he’s done an awesome job,” said Ridley.

Take a lap: Rookie quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo (third day in a row) and rookie center Bryan Stork (second day in a row) were forced to run their daily punishment laps for a botched snap.